Just a general question, and not sure if this is the correct forum, but I was just wondering what happens to the last pups of a litter if they're not chosen by new families...

I look at the GR puppy pages very regularly, and you watch how each of the litters go and know the litters where there's a pup left (and quite frankly begging me to go and get :rolleyes: LOL There's one right now...)....if they don't go do the breeders keep them? I suppose breeders will have waiting lists but some breeds are more popular and will have more litters I suppose.

I always wonder about the little lad (Roxy's brother) who's little face I saw first when we went to see them (I wanted a a girl and luckily Roxy picked us at the time, where her little brother didn't seem interested in us at all, on either occassion) but a while after I saw that there were none of her litter left and then he was back due to time wasters... I always wonder what happened to him...her breeder hasn't been in contact since I gave her last update.

So, breeders, do you keep them and train them like all your others? I know if I breed (which I have zero intention of doing BTW) I'd end up with <insert number of size of litter here> Goldens...I wouldn't want to let any go...

Any GOOD breeder would keep the pup. Of course the right home might appear eventually, but in my experience there comes a cut off point when the pup is so much yours you can't bear to let it go. :)

In my last litter I was left with a pup until he was 14 weeks old. It did indeed look like I'd have to keep him as well as the bitch I had always planned to keep.  As there was no home in sight obviously I had him vaccinated, started getting him used to walking on a lead, took him out and about with his sister to socialise, and also started training classes. Then at 14 weeks the PERFECT home appeared and I cried my eyes out letting him go but it was the right decision and he has a super home, and it's so much better to NOT have two littermates.

In my first litter the last pup did end up being kept when the right home didn't appear.

The pup is kept until the right home for him/her comes along.  It is unusual in my numerically small breed to have all pups gone at 8 weeks.

For one reason or another I have had pups as long as 16 weeks (usually honuring a holiday or due to export requirements).

I have also had pups unsold at 12 weks due to time wasters, and had passed on good solid potential homes to other breeders, which is why I now take deposits.

Speaking for myself and every breeder I have ever met, if per chance a pup were left over it would always be kept forever or until a suitable home came along, even pups that are ill or with slight defects are kept by the breeder as it is our responsibility to always care for our puppy offspring that we bring into the world.

I doubt you will find anyone on this board who would tell you any different, however if your question were directed to puppy farmers perhaps that is where your thoughts lie these people do not think the same as us, they may keep an unsold pup on to breed from :-( pass them onto unscrupulous pet shops, or just keep on advertising them. Some may do worse but it is doubtful as they see them as profit and are not likely to harm an unsold pup, when they can earn some money from it.

If it were a backyard breeder perhaps an unsold pup that is not wanted, may find its way to a rescue.

But to be honest not many people can say no to puppy eyes, where-ever pups are sold from, even when people know it is coming from a puppy farmer and may not be a healthy pup, they usually find there way into someones heart.

Only ever had two litters so always keep one for myself (only reason I breed) However, if I had ever been left with an extra one then no way it would go anywhere unless a really good home came along.  As for not wanting any of them to go, I used to think that way, but until you have a litter and realise that they came to a point when they all want your attention at the same time and you realise that they actually would be better off in their new homes where they can get individual attention. Doesn't stop the tears from flowing though!

last night i looked on many tears rescue- there was a pup on there, its potential owners ahd backed out and the breeder gave him up to the rescue at 8wks  :(

That's not a breeder, I can't actually think of a polite word for them.

Money grabbing puppy producer. :)

Yes, that will do nicely. :-)

We only had our sickly pup Bertie left from Freyas litter and we would have kept him quite happily.  The perfect people came along though when he was sixteen weeks old.  How I cried!   If we have any of the litter back at anytime and we can't find that perfect home then the puppy will stay with us.  All 12 of them won't come back...............will they..........

Good grief, cross fingers and toes on that one.

What I find particularly sad is that it is very often the boys who end up being advertised and staying on at the breeders. I have had bitches and dogs and would say I do like the boys they are so uncomplicated by comparison. Every puppy buyer wants a bitch which they fondly imagine is going to be easier to control, less likely to fight... (tell that to some bitches I have known) and will be safer with children!

Funny thing is years ago unknown to myself and friends there was a man following us when we were out with our children. My bitches didn't bother, but my boy was very upset and kept going over the bushes in the country park and growling. As we walked round the park Darnel kept herding the kids back to us if they strayed too far from us. After a while he settled down. We were laughing and could not understand why he had been so "silly".

We were passed on the pathway by a young girl of about 12 years old walking a westie bitch. She was going the way we had come. Darnel followed her a way along the path and started barking, To which we told him to come back and shut up. We had stopped by the lake to eat our sandwiches and the poor girl came running back along the path crying and told us this man had jumped out and grabbed her. He his intentons had not been in her best interests shall we say, being only half dressed. She told us that my dog had come back along the path barking and that made the man let her go.

We found the park warden and he called for the police, apparently we did not know this but apparently they had been receiving reports of a man lurking around childrens play areas and in this country park over the previous two or three weeks. As we were only visitors to the area we never did find out what happened after that other than a man had been arrested about two weeks later.

Years ago before people started neutering routinely it was the bitches that were harder to home.  This is certainly still the case in many countris like Poland were my family come from, where btch pups are seen as too muchl troube as they get pregnant.  It is still pretty much the norm to alow smaller dogs to wander at will and to chain large one.

I have a little boy from our last litter who couldn't find a home, he's a year old next week and nobody can have him now cos he's mine!

I have a boy that didn't sell from the last litter. 7½ years later he's still with us - and no, he's not for sale any more!